If you’ve ever looked around your company headquarters and thought to yourself: “I should be running things,” maybe you’re right. For those with vision, tech chops, and people skills -- along with a laser focus on turning a profit -- being a company’s tech lead may be the right fit.

But you have questions: “How do I get started? Do I need a graduate degree? And what’s it like to manage effectively at the highest levels?”

Luckily, we have answers from a range of technology executives from firms around the country -- long-established players and plucky startups. These experts shared what it takes to lead, how they began, what they learned along the way, and the best way to make the leap to the top of the org chart.